In Fading Echo, you play as One, a young Legend fighting to save Corel, a fractured world being consumed by a mysterious force known as the Paradox. To survive, you’ll experiment with One’s powers, manipulate the elements around you, and shift between realities to find new ways through combat, exploration, and puzzles.

So, let’s dive in!

Become water – then weaponize it

Water – or Æther, as it’s known in the world of Fading Echo – is at the heart of One’s abilities. She can manipulate it, use it against enemies, and even transform herself into a living blob of it.

One of our goals with Æther form was to make movement itself part of your toolbox. As a blob, you can build momentum, surf through pipes, squeeze through narrow cracks, and launch yourself across the environment. This can help you reach new areas and solve environmental puzzles, but it can be just as useful in combat. Get above an enemy, for example, and you can water-bomb them on the way down, making quite a splash. It’s as effective as it is fun.

And movement is only the first ripple.

One can also unleash waves of Æther and powerful charged blasts, drenching enemies and changing the state of the battlefield. But drenching an enemy is just the beginning: Æther reacts with elements such as lava, toxic waste, and even Paradox corruption, opening up all kinds of possibilities.

Drench an enemy before conducting energy through them. Solidify elements to change the battlefield. Or look to your surroundings and set off a chain reaction that turns the situation in your favor.

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We designed these systems to reward experimentation rather than push you toward a single sequence of attacks. When you enter an encounter, we want you to look at the enemies, the environment, and the elements at your disposal and ask yourself: What happens if I try this?

Sometimes everything will flow according to plan. Sometimes you’ll find a solution we didn’t see coming.

There’s rarely just One answer.

Bend reality to find another way

Corel is no longer one stable world. The Paradox has fractured it into alternate realities, and One can shift between different versions of the same space – and even different versions of herself.

Reality shifting is another system we wanted players to use across exploration, puzzles, and combat rather than for one specific purpose.

A path blocked in one reality might be accessible in another. An element you need to solve a puzzle could exist on the other side of a shift. Sometimes, instead of looking for another route through the space in front of you, you’ll need to think about what that same space looks like in another reality.

Combat follows the same principle. Shifting can change the resources, hazards, and elements available around you, so the same encounter can play out differently depending on where you choose to fight.

For us, Æther, movement, elemental reactions, puzzles, and reality shifting are all parts of the same toolbox. We want you to learn how each system works, then start combining them and finding your own solutions.

Explore a world consumed by the Paradox

Of course, One has bigger problems than finding increasingly creative ways to deal with enemies.

Paradox Corruption is spreading across Corel, twisting reality and consuming what remains of the world. At its center is Maddock, the ruthless leader of the Paradox on Corel, who stands in the way of One’s attempt to save it.

Your journey will take you across floating islands and fractured realities as you search for a way to stop the corruption before there’s nothing left to save.

And while Fading Echo is a single-player adventure, One won’t make that journey entirely alone.

Across Corel, you’ll meet a small group of unlikely allies. Some stand beside One out of loyalty, others out of guilt, and some because they have nowhere else left to go. Each has their own relationship with this decaying world, and with One herself.

But One’s journey isn’t only about saving Corel. It’s also about discovering who she is, uncovering the mysteries of her past, and finding the answers she’ll need to save her future.

We’ve built Fading Echo around experimentation and giving you the freedom to find your own way through its world. If you’d like to get a first taste before jumping into the full adventure, a demo is also available today on PlayStation 5. 

Now it’s time to dive in, PlayStation 5 players! Fading Echo is yours, and we can’t wait to see how you make your way through Corel.

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Lisa’s journey has taken her from her roots in Thailand to Korea and beyond, as she’s become a defining figure in global pop culture – from her dynamic stage presence to her bold approach to fashion. Hear from her directly on the collaboration:

“Gaming is something I do whenever I have time to relax, so getting to create this collection with PlayStation was very exciting. I had a lot of fun adding in little details that I knew my fans would notice, and I wanted the fans to have something they can connect with. I’ve always loved expressing myself through music and fashion, so this collaboration gave me a new way to be creative and show a different side of myself. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.” – Lisa

Fans won’t have to look far to find Lisa in the details. From the very start, we worked closely together to incorporate elements that held personal meaning for her. Her iconic bangs and eyes take center stage on the DualSense wireless controller touch pad, joined by her signature stars and bold “LL” lettering, all set against a Chroma Pearl colorway – Lisa’s personal favorite.

In Southeast Asia, the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition will be available in highly limited quantities at participating retailers beginning on October 30 for a recommended retail price of SGD 115 / MYR 419 / IDR 1,549,000 / THB 2,890 / PHP 5,411 / VND 2,399,000. Pre-orders will begin on October 2, while supplies last. 

Alongside the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition, fans can also look forward to the release of her new EP, Press Play, on October 23.

Come and Press Play!

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Lisa’s journey has taken her from her roots in Thailand to Korea and beyond, as she’s become a defining figure in global pop culture – from her dynamic stage presence to her bold approach to fashion. Hear from her directly on the collaboration:

“Gaming is something I do whenever I have time to relax, so getting to create this collection with PlayStation was very exciting. I had a lot of fun adding in little details that I knew my fans would notice, and I wanted the fans to have something they can connect with. I’ve always loved expressing myself through music and fashion, so this collaboration gave me a new way to be creative and show a different side of myself. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.” – Lisa

Fans won’t have to look far to find Lisa in the details. From the very start, we worked closely together to incorporate elements that held personal meaning for her. Her iconic bangs and eyes take center stage on the DualSense wireless controller touch pad, joined by her signature stars and bold “LL” lettering, all set against a Chroma Pearl colorway – Lisa’s personal favorite.

The DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition will be available in highly limited quantities directly from PlayStation and at participating retailers globally beginning on October 30 for a recommended retail price of $84.99 USD / ¥12,480 (including tax) / €84.99 / £74.99. Pre-orders will begin on October 2 at 10am local time, while supplies last. 

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Lisa x PlayStation merchandise pictured above available on Lisa’s official Amazon store beginning October 23. 

Lisa x PlayStation merchandise collection

Launching this October in the U.S., the Lisa x PlayStation collaboration goes beyond gaming with a collection of PlayStation merchandise featuring Lisa’s designs, including apparel, hats, tote bags, keychains, stickers, a DualSense controller carrying case, and more. The collection gives fans new ways to bring their love for PlayStation and Lisa into their everyday lifestyle.

The Lisa x PlayStation merchandise collection will include two unique assortments available in limited quantities in the U.S. Select merchandise will be available to pre-order directly from PlayStation on October 2 at 10am ET, and launch on October 30. Additional items will launch on October 23 on Lisa’s official Amazon store at amazon.com/lisa and in the Amazon Music app.   

Alongside the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition and Lisa X PlayStation collection launching this October, fans can also look forward to the release of her new EP, Press Play, on October 23. We can’t wait to see how fans make the Lisa x PlayStation look their own when it launches. 

Come and Press Play!

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Buy direct from PlayStation purchase information

Starting at 10:00am ET on October 2, players in the US will be able to pre-order the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition and Lisa x PlayStation merchandise collection direct from PlayStation through direct.playstation.com in limited quantities, while supplies last.

Starting at 10:00am local time on October 2, players in the U.K., France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, players will be able to pre-order the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition direct from PlayStation through playstation.com/store/hardware in limited quantities, while supplies last.

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Here are nine ways Silent Hill: Downfall uses its first-person perspective to create a more intimate horror experience and amp up its scares.

A claustrophobic perspective

Silent Hill: Townfall puts you in the shoes, and viewpoint, of its protagonist character, Simon Ordell, which means you can’t see as much of the world around you as you might in a third-person Silent Hill game. You must be on your guard for threats coming from the side or behind you. The game also uses a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, making the screen wider at the sides but shorter vertically, creating a cinematic presentation — but one that also makes your vision feel realistically restricted. That change in presentation forces you to pay close attention to your surroundings and to listen for enemies you might not be able to see right away.

A CRTV to see through the fog

Characters in Silent Hill games often carry radios that can give them hints about when enemies are nearing them in the fog — when the radio emits static, danger is close. Townfall takes a more visual approach to this idea with its CRTV, a handheld device you can tune to different frequencies to see the positions of nearby enemies. L1 lets you hold the CRTV up in front of you as you move around, so you can see both what it displays and the world around you. The device also gives a helpful haptic pulse in your DualSense controller to let you know when a new enemy is near.

Melee combat

It’s a staple of Silent Hill games to battle twisted horrors using everyday objects like pieces of wood. But in Townfall, combat gets harrowing, as monsters throw themselves at your face and your only defense is to hold up a flimsy object to block them. You’ll need to react quickly to stop counterattacks and get some blows in if you want to stay alive.

Stealth for survival

Combat isn’t always an option in Townfall, and often you’ll have to sneak past enemies to survive. Ducking behind objects like fences, signs, and parked cars with Circle allows you to slip by many enemies unnoticed. You can also hold R1 and use the right analog stick to lean around corners or peek over the top of cover to see where enemies are so you can better avoid them — or scare yourself when you realize just how close they are.

Running and hiding

No matter how sneaky you are, sometimes, you just have to run for it. You can sometimes lose an enemy just by rounding a corner or ducking behind something, breaking their line of sight. You can also slip inside cabinets, closets, and lockers to hide, where you can watch them through a crack in the door or on the CRTV. But be careful: If an enemy sees you slip into a hiding place, they’ll chase you down and pull you out.

Aiming weapons with motion control

Motion control is one of Townfall’s useful features, which you can enable in its settings menu. This lets you tilt the DualSense controller to aim when using a firearm or throwing an object. Motion control makes it easier to dial in attacks on enemies with extra precision. But it also makes combat more frightening, since it’s tough to hold your controller perfectly still when your hands are shaking in fear.

Dividing your attention

The new first-person gameplay means you’re always worrying about what could be just out of view. When you open a door, you’ll need to quickly check what’s on the other side or risk stumbling into an enemy. Actions as innocuous as rifling through drawers or reading emails on a computer become eerie, since you’re vulnerable to monsters that may be shuffling around you. Even using your map (by hitting Triangle) causes you to hold it up in front of your face, robbing you of the ability to see what’s sneaking up on you.

Searching your environment for clues

Townfall’s first-person view makes puzzles more engaging but also more dangerous. With a more intimate perspective, you can search the environments around you for clues like notes left on desks or diagrams hidden in drawers. But that also means you often need to scour rooms and buildings for the information, and with creatures often stalking around in search of Simon, you’ll have to watch your back.

Getting a glimpse of Simon’s inner life

The first-person perspective isn’t all about scares. It also gives you a deeper look into Simon’s psyche at certain points. Rather than Simon speaking his thoughts aloud, you’ll sometimes see text appear over the screen to give you a sense of his inner monologue, bringing you a little closer to the character and giving you a sense of how he’s affected by what he’s seeing. For example, he might think “I feel sick…” when seeing something unsettling.

With Silent Hill’s first big foray into first-person, Townfall provides plenty of scares as you make your way through the frightening fog of St. Amelia. You can feel the fear for yourself when Silent Hill: Townfall launches on September 24 on PlayStation 5.

FlamingHobo666 shares a golden bird flying across a spring field in Ghost of Yōtei

gh_holy_mash shares fallen autumn leaves in Onimusha: Way of the Sword

raphxander_ shares the castle covered in winter snow in Hogwarts Legacy

RhodWulfLeon shares yellow flowers blooming in Horizon Forbidden West

John_Varela_R shares Lara ice-picking her way up a mountainside in Rise of the Tomb Raider

JDanny7_VP shares a summer evening on the water in Red Dead Redemption 2

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Marvel’s Wolverine
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 23, 2026 

Next week, unleash ferocious shares from Marvel’s Wolverine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

I went hands-on with the full game ahead of its September 24 launch to discover how strange things really get in a warped and broken Manhattan. Spoiler: weird doesn’t even cover it, in the best possible way.

A story which resonates

Not familiar with Control? Never fear – Resonant has a handy recap trailer to get you up to speed, told from the perspective of the first game’s protagonist, Jesse. And given her younger brother is only just discovering this new, unfamiliar world, he’s the perfect vessel for any exposition you need to understand the game’s story.

Control Resonant keeps the surreal, horror tinged sci-fi tone of the first game, but amps it up with a powerful tale of people who fall through society’s cracks. This doesn’t refer to just Dylan, but also other characters who have been discarded or deemed unworthy. It’s an emotional theme reflected through Dylan’s relationship with Jesse, and his handler Zoe, but you’re given the chance to make your mark on Dylan’s shy personality by choosing some of his dialogue in specific conversations.

In fact, one of my favourite elements of Control Resonant’s tale are the optional mini-quests where Dylan can recreate a scene based on a memory or childhood thought using relevant objects in the environment. In one instance, through rescuing a couple of inanimate cats, I crafted a feline picnic area that Dylan drew, speaking to a part of his tragically lost childhood.

The reluctant hero

In contrast to the confident and determined Jesse, Dylan is shy and hesitant, in part due to spending years both in a coma and incarcerated by the FBC. But as a fascinating counterbalance, Dylan’s powers give him far more mobility than his older sister, which is appropriate given he has the larger environment of Manhattan to explore, full of wide streets, high rooftops, and even gravity distorted Inception-like areas where the city has folded in and on top of itself.

Holding down the X button elevates Dylan high enough to reach the summit of some of the city’s shorter buildings after a double jump, and a tap of the Circle-mapped dodge button lets him air dash. And by pressing Circle twice, Dylan can also dash so quickly he leaves an afterimage trail in his wake. That’s not to mention the unlockable traversal abilities gained via ‘Jesse Quests’, like the super handy Reach grappling hook.

All of which is essential when it comes to surviving encounters with the freakish Hiss entities that roam the city. But what makes Dylan relatable is that despite his vast power, he possesses a childlike awkwardness that grounds his interactions. Even when using his impressive abilities, he staggers, wobbles, and even clumsily topples over after long falls; a stark contrast to the typical 3-point stance ‘superhero landings’ we’re all used to. 

Combat tailored to your style

When it comes to combat, Control Resonant doesn’t spare your mistakes. Much like its predecessor, aimlessly lurching into fights quickly results in a blood-red game over screen. Dylan’s paranatural abilities are far more melee slanted than Jesse’s, which means battles against the Hiss are often face-to-face (that’s when they actually possess a face), and require a lot of dodging, and quick, powerful and precise strikes.

While using a bus shelter, abandoned trucks and other parts of the Manhattan environment as cover is a big part of keeping Dylan alive, his offensive capabilities and combos are key. Control Resonant’s dense and versatile upgrade paths for the disarmingly charismatic protagonist are central to Dylan’s entire range of attacks.

The first and secondary forms of his shapeshifting Aberrant weapon can be enhanced with status effects including burn and infect, as well as perks such as better cooldowns and increased damage to combo finishers. Further to that, Dylan’s bonus Combat Ability can change up your tactics as well, whether it’s a shield, a barrage of projectiles, or an ally formed via ambient junk in the environment, each featuring some nice resistance on the Adaptive Triggers to give them a sense of physical weight.

Combat Abilities consume Power, which can be regained via melee attacks, so conflict is all about strategy, balance and using L3 as much as possible to activate chainable execution moves on stunned foes.

With a default of six total first and secondary Aberrant to choose from, there are dozens of loadout combinations to personalise Dylan with, which can be unlocked, changed and tested by visiting the mysterious Gap, a limbo-like hub accessible by holding down on the Directional buttons. Add that to the choices available in the multiple skill trees, and Control Resonant expands massively on the combat options of its precursor.

Missions for all types of player

Although the substantial and twisted Manhattan is yours to explore, Control Resonant isn’t quite an open world. True, it’s a shift from Jesse’s adventure through the office building confines of the FBC headquarters, , but the game smartly gives you digestible and focused sandboxes to explore, aided by a variety of mission objectives. These ranged from being combat driven, such as clearing an area of Hiss or investigating a missing person, to helping construct and fixing a machine, with Zoe’s radio chatter audible via the DualSense Controller’s speaker during relevant tasks.

Handily, the game also lets you prioritise your missions, so I not only had the choice to progress the main story, but also focus on searching for Jesse or engaging in side stories. There are even arcade cabinets to unlock in each zone, where you can reward Dylan’s skills via timed challenges.

The openness doesn’t reduce the horror and thriller elements that made the first game so memorable, either. There are plenty of disturbing and creepy moments that sometimes even heavily shudder the DualSense Controller – from hallucinatory jump scare visions and sudden booming announcements from The Board, to reality warping taxis and the ground-shaking arrival of misshapen enemies that had me thinking twice about my choices. Actually, while I’m on the subject…

The Resonants are deeply unsettling

Control is well known for its Brutalist inspired architecture and unforgettable art design, which carries over here, but things get delightfully weird with its Resonants, the often colossal and intimidating boss encounters. The first one was a giant porcelain doll’s face using taxis and girders to bludgeon Dylan, and things only became more unpredictable from there. Another confrontation surprised me entirely by not being a traditional boss fight at all. I won’t spoil it here, but you’ll know it when you see it.

A PS5 must-play

There’s so much to discover in Control Resonant that, like Dylan, your world will be constantly flipped and challenged, and you’ll enjoy every moment. Prepare to enter one of the most surreal adventures of 2026 when it hits PS5 on September 24.

I’m thrilled to finally be sharing this news. Shape of Dreams launches today on PlayStation 5, arriving alongside The Starless Path — our 1st Anniversary Update, and the largest update we’ve ever made.

Watch our newly released launch trailer first, then read on to see what’s waiting deep inside the dream world.

Combat and Travelers

Shape of Dreams is fast-paced, spectacular and aggressive. You become one of completely different nine Travelers, and descend deep into the Rapids — a dream world that reshapes itself every time you enter. Once you’ve chosen your Traveler, it’s time to dive into the Rapids.

Memories and Essences

Combat is fast and flashy, but how you take control of the battlefield is entirely yours to decide.

Memories are the core abilities you equip. Essences slot into those Memories and fundamentally rewrite how the ability works.

Take a single-target attack Memory and attach an Essence that chains the ability to nearby enemies, or one that cuts its cooldown every time you land a hit, and it becomes something else entirely — an ability capable of wiping out an entire room. With more than 200 Memories and Essences available, no two runs are the same, and a run isn’t about finding the right answer.

It’s about deciding what to make out of what you’ve found. Digging up wild synergies nobody saw coming — that’s the real heart of this game.

Traveler Memory and Identity Memory

Every Traveler begins with two unique traits at the center of their build: the Traveler Memory, an active skill, and the Identity Memory, a passive. Before each run begins, you pick one of two options in each of these slots. Your choices let you go beyond simply stacking abilities on top and adjust the starting point itself.

Constellation

Every Traveler has their own Constellation to fill in, and progress isn’t lost when a run ends — it accumulates. Travelers who return to the Rapids again and again grow to heights a single descent could never reach. The Starless Path adds new Stars you can slot in.

Four-player co-op

You can play the whole game by yourself, or run it as a four-player online party. In co-op, builds lock into one another: one player freezes enemies while a teammate drives extra damage into the frozen targets, or someone pulls everything into a single point so the rest of the party can sweep it all at once.

Nobody is forced into a fixed role. Four independent builds collide and interlock on the battlefield until they come together into one perfect rhythm.

Cross-play is live at launch. PS5 lobbies are fully unified with PC and other consoles, so you can head straight out with friends without waiting around.

New in The Starless Path

Our largest update ever. Every improvement and piece of new content we’ve forged over the past year alongside more than 1.5 million players on Steam is fully baked into today’s PS5 version.

New Traveler Cetus joins as a ranged frost tank, locking down the battlefield with ice while keeping shields up on himself and everyone around him. If you want to be the reason your party survives a bad map, start with Cetus.

The Way of Stars is a new system where each Traveler’s story is woven together like a constellation. Travelers who reach the depths of the Rapids unlock hidden episodes and illustrations, and face a new ending along with the toughest final boss in the game. On top of that, existing world bosses gain threatening secondary attack patterns, turning out craftier and more lethal behavior at higher difficulties.

Fallen Stars and Faded Memories: A new feature in The Starless Path. The Identity Memory introduced above can now be swapped for one of 6 Universal Identity Memories, rather than being limited to your Traveler’s own. This opens up a completely new progression path for your Traveler!

A year ago, we asked players a single question. Would you risk everything to shape a dream? Today, we finally get to put that question to PlayStation players too.

Thanks for reading — we’ll see you in the Rapids.

At Tokyo Game Show 2026, we had our first chance to play a hands-on demo of the PS5 title, featuring a combat-focused portion of the main story. In this demo, we explored the Whirlwind Maze and got the chance to test out combat with newly added playable characters Vincent and Cid, the new FITS System, and battle against Jenova Deathmourner.

Exploring the Whirlwind Maze where black-robed figures linger

Airship pilot Cid joins Cloud and the rest of the party at the beginning of the demo. With a group totaling eight members, you set off for the Whirlwind Maze where Sephiroth awaits.

The terrain requires shimmying along cliff faces and vaulting over ledges with parkour traversal. An eerie atmosphere hangs over the field. Winds howl across the cliffs. Aurora-like ribbons of light illuminate the darkness. Black-robed figures linger along the path.

Vincent: Fighting in two styles as human and beast

In this game, Vincent and Cid join the party as playable characters, and both were available at the beginning of this hands-on session.

Vincent fights using two distinct powers: gunplay and monster transformation. The versatile fighter unleashes ranged gunfire and fights up close in monster form.

Landing consecutive standard firearm attacks causes Vincent’s unique abilities to evolve from Blood Moon to Execration and then Retribution, increasing in power relative to the hit count. There is no need to manually aim; simply firing with the Square button and executing abilities with the Triangle button makes battle feel satisfyingly effortless and snappy.

Holding the R1 button transforms Vincent into a powerful monster. Moving swiftly on all fours like a beast, he can slash enemies with sharp claws. Holding the Triangle button while in monster form allows him to stagger enemies faster.

Monster form is unlimited, but as time passes the Chaos level rises, reducing Vincent’s maximum HP. Switching between human and beast forms while reacting to enemy types make him a unique and versatile addition to the party.

Cid: Dancing swiftly through the air with spear in hand

As a spear wielder, Cid excels at airborne combat. Chaining standard attacks with the Square button and pressing the Square button again at the exact moment he becomes cloaked in a blue aura leads into derivative attacks like Dragon Spin, Hyper Dive, and Ground Pound. His long spear offers impressive reach, perfect for sweeping away groups of enemies.

Pressing the Triangle button fires Target Spear, which can be charged by holding the button to launch up to five spears. Pinning enemies with spears empowers Cid’s abilities like Skydive and Burst Spiral, creating engaging tactical options.

Unlocking unique abilities with the new FITS System

The game introduces the FITS (Function-Integrated Tactical Suitwear), a new mechanic where choosing from four specialized FITS — Warrior, Knight, Black Mage, and Summoner — each unlocks different capabilities and abilities based on the equipped uniform.

In this hands-on demo, Cloud started with the Summoner FITS equipped. Selecting FITS from the command menu during combat summons Ifrit, Shiva, Titan, and other powerful beings to fight alongside Cloud for a limited duration.

Selecting FITS again while a summon is active unleashes the high-damage attack Pledge Roar. Using Pledge Roar drains HP, so this massive power comes with risk. 

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Battling Jenova Death through flames and tentacles

Tough foes like Dragon Riders and Gigas await deep inside the Whirlwind Maze. Sephiroth himself appears toward the end of the demo, leading into a fight against Jenova Death. Debuting in the original Final Fantasy VII, the creature returns here with a sinister redesign featuring an unsettling spiky body.

Jenova Death rains down wide-area Fire attacks, including fireballs and scorching gusts. Dodge or guard these attacks or risk severe damage to the party.

Midway through the battle, Jenova Death’s tentacles sprout and shield the main body from damage until you destroy each one. As the battle continues the tentacles begin spewing fire like flamethrowers. In our session, combining Synergy Abilities and Limit Breaks finally brings down the colossal Jenova Death.

From the distinct fighting styles of Vincent and Cid to the new FITS System and intense boss encounters, this hands-on session offered a great look at what makes this third entry unique. Finish the adventure when Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches on PS5 April 8, 2027.

Current PlayStation Plus members can save big on the remainder of their membership when upgrading a current plan to PlayStation Plus Extra or Deluxe.*

With PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe, get access to monthly games, exclusive discounts, online multiplayer, and hundreds of games through the Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, including hit titles like Helldivers 2, Ghost of Tsushima and many more. Explore the Classics Catalog with PlayStation Plus Deluxe, try select games like the epic Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with Game Trials, and more.*

*Availability of Classics and Game Catalog varies over time, region/country, and plan. See https://www.playstation.com/Plus for details and updates on PlayStation Plus offerings. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically (at the then-current PS Store price) at the frequency you choose at purchase until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms

Experiencing Boost Action, the new feature evolving the hunt even further

Added in Ascendance, Boost Action is a new mechanic that unleashes weapon specific attacks and empowers certain weapon actions for a limited duration by activating the Boost Bracer.

What stood out during this demo was how seamlessly Boost Action integrates with existing moves to sustain continuous attacks. Because Boost triggering actions can be activated mid combo or right when you are exposed after finishing an attack, you can instantly press the offensive without breaking momentum.

The Boost gauge fills gradually over time and with every strike landed. Crucially, destroying wounds with Focus Strike while in the Boost state recharges the draining gauge, enabling high-level tactics such as shattering a wound just before Boost wears off to keep the momentum going.

Armed with the Sword and Shield, the Boost activation move delivered lightning fast mobility while slashing through monsters. Closing the gap on distant targets to dive inside their guard and unleash devastating boosted combos feels exhilarating. Triggering it up close pivots you instantly around to their flank, doubling as a brilliant dodge mechanic.

Taking on the Araketa pack in the new Skybound Eyrie area

Next, we jumped into a quest to hunt the boss variant of the new monster Araketa in the breathtaking Skybound Eyrie. While traversing this realm dotted with floating islands, mounting your Seikret lets you catch updrafts, rocket skyward, and seamlessly glide between floating landmasses. Towering ruins loomed in the distance against a crystal-clear blue sky, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop.

The target monster Araketa hunts in packs, and without Slinger Dung Bombs to scatter them on this run, we were forced to clash with multiple beasts at once.

Araketa inflates its wings with air to blast hunters back or rocket forward in heavy charge attacks. Watch those wings closely, as a massive swell signals an incoming strike.

What truly stole the show was the terrifying coordination between the boss variant and its pack. The alpha barks commands to send pack members pouncing in rapid succession, culminating in a signature ultimate move where the entire pack leaps into the heavens before diving straight down in a synchronized, high speed charge. Throwing up a hasty Great Sword guard was nowhere near enough, sending us hurtling through the air. Fortunately, the boss exposes a throat weak spot whenever it roars, and landing a clutch Focus Strike successfully cuts off its orders to the pack.

Weaponizing Gundoraja, a small creature inhabiting the area, adds fantastic dynamic flair to the hunt. Wrapped in rock solid hide, a curled up Gundoraja can be hoisted directly by hand and hurled at targets. Sniping the hyper active Araketa takes real precision, but connecting delivers a heavy blow that staggers the monster in its tracks.

The assault was so relentless that we completely forgot to trigger Boost state at times, even with a maxed out Boost gauge. Somehow, we managed to take down the boss variant right before time ran out. It was a fierce uphill battle, but nothing beats the sheer thrill of hunting a brand new monster for the first time. Given another chance, we  can’t wait to thoroughly explore every corner of Skybound Eyrie.

New attacks arrive in the battle against Teostra

Finally, we stepped into the Oilwell Basin to go head-to-head with Elder Dragon Teostra. Alongside franchise staples like charges, flame breath, and blast explosions, this demo showcased brand new attack patterns we had never seen before.

What left the biggest impression was a terrifying move where Teostra rears high and slams both forelegs down with crushing force. Attempting to circle around its flank, Teostra remained upright while pivoting on the spot to realign its target. Luckily, a quick reaction with the Switch Axe Offset Rising Slash landed cleanly, deflecting the heavy slam right back at the monster. While the windup looks horrifying, mastering the timing makes for an incredibly rewarding counter option.

Fighting Teostra inside the Oilwell Basin created an especially toxic combination. Whenever dust scattered to signal an impending blast, getting stuck in thick oil mud repeatedly sabotaged our movement, continually robbing us of the precious seconds needed to dodge away.

While Teostra remains an absolute nightmare to fight, leveraging Focus Mode, wound destruction, and new Boost Actions allowed us to trade blows effectively. Ultimately, a devastating surprise hit wiped out our health, and exhausting our recovery items triggered a heart breaking quest failed screen as time expired.

Between breathtaking new locales, formidable beasts, and revolutionary combat depth brought by Boost Action, this short taste proved that Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is set to evolve monster hunting in spectacular ways. Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches on PS5 in 2027.